


Days of Future Past

by Bibs_Blocksberg



Category: The Witcher (TV), Wiedźmin | The Witcher - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, Fix-It, Geralt get's a chance to save Renfri, M/M, Multi, Time Travel Fix-It, inspired by X-Men Days of Future Past
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-25
Updated: 2020-02-25
Packaged: 2021-02-28 07:00:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,967
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22899898
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bibs_Blocksberg/pseuds/Bibs_Blocksberg
Summary: Geralt's consciousness is sent back in time to that fateful day that got him his most hated nickname.
Relationships: Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia/Jaskier | Dandelion, Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia/Renfri | Shrike
Comments: 2
Kudos: 168





	Days of Future Past

**Author's Note:**

> I had a lot of feelings concerning Geralt and Renfri and they needed an out. Pulling loosely from X-Men Days of Future Past, throwing in my own twist on how that whole time travel shit works out in the end. Based on the Netflix adaption, I have no further knowledge of the books or games beyond that Ciri is a time and universe bending super special badass.  
> No time for beta reading, constructive criticism welcome :)

~1274~

"Just for the record, I still think this idea is insane", Geralt mumbled as he lay down on the narrow cot. Cirilla and Yennefer looked down at him, light and dark, nothing alike except for the determined and assured expressions on their pretty faces.  
"It's the only idea we got", Cirilla repeated and gently brushed strands of stray hair out of his face. "We need Renfri to live and you can save her." She plucked at a strand that had gotten caught in his beard and Geralt hummed, not entirely convinced but just as out of arguments as he had been an hour ago. A warm hand slid into his and he looked to the side.  
"You get to save her this time", Jaskier said and he had the softest, most heartbreaking expression in his cornflower blue eyes. Geralt returned the press of his fingers and swallowed dry. 

This could go so horribly wrong. Messing with time was dangerous and if their situation weren't this desperate, they really wouldn't ever have considered it. Jaskier and he had discussed it, as much as the limited time had allowed it. If Geralt got to save Renfri, if he got her to let go of her need for revenge on Stregobor, what would that mean for them? Would he ever meet Jaskier? Would they become friends and later lovers? The fate of their world aside, were they willing to risk each other? And subsequently their found family?

In the end, Jaskier of all people had persuaded Geralt to trust in destiny and take the risk. And it was Jaskier's reassuring smile that now made Geralt relax his body and look up at his daughter.

"People linked by destiny will always find each other", he quietly said and closed his eyes, let go of Jaskier's hand and went into meditation with the ease of a century of practice.

~1231~

Geralt awoke with a gasp and sat up, eyes darting around frantically. He was in the clearing by the stream, the pale light of morning refracting in the mist. He panted and his head was dizzy but he knew he was in the right place and, more important, the right time.  
"Renfri", he breathed and scrambled to his feet. Geralt grabbed his steel sword, gave Roach a quick pat on the neck, a promise to come back, and ran towards Blaviken.

It all happened as Geralt remembered it. He cautiously walked into town and right into the ambush at the market. He slapped the quarrel aside and killed Renfri's men, one after the other. The stench of blood and shit filled the air and by the time she appeared with her blade pressed to Marilka's throat, Geralt was covered in blood. 

His throat burned with the metallic taste of it as he walked towards Renfri, fingers forming Aard.  
"That doesn't work on me", she sneered, voice shaking. "Silver does, though." Geralt's heart ripped apart at the sight of desperation and pain in her eyes.  
"Silver is for monsters", he repeated. You are not a monster, he left unsaid, because Renfri had pushed Marilka aside and was coming for him with her sword raised.  
"If we cross swords", Geralt began but she interrupted him.  
"I won't be able to stop." And she striked, fast as a snake, deadly precision that would have killed a less skilled fighter than Geralt within a few moves.

But Geralt was more skilled than Renfri was, had been so then and his mind had an additional forty years of training and knowledge now. He parried and blocked, ducked and drove her against the wall.  
"They created me just as they created you", Renfri snapped at him, panting heavily, "We're not so different!" Geralt locked eyes with her, searching the depths, tried to see past the mania, for a glimpse of reason. There had to be one, he couldn't do this if there wasn't.

Somehow, he had forgotten her dagger until it pierced his side. The sharp pain pulled him back to the fight and Geralt growled. The second of distraction was enough for her to push back and engage him into furious battle again. She went for his leg, he grabbed the blade, and just as in his memory, decided that it was enough. He could not let her maim him to save her.  
Geralt drove her back with swift, powerful strikes, eyes never leaving hers until he had her with the tip of his blade to her throat, disarmed.

For long, painful heartbeats, he stared at her. He knew what she'd do if he lowered the blade. Renfri still had her dagger and if he made the wrong move now, everything would end just as it had before. He gnashed his teeth and threw her sword away behind his back.  
Gold stared into deep brown. Renfri knew she was no match for him, he saw it in her eyes, the fire quenched and leaving only dull hopelessness. She leaned forward slightly, just enough for his blade to nick her skin.  
"End it, witcher, because I can't", she breathed and Geralt growled.

He pulled his blade back but before she could raise her dagger, he flipped his grip on the handle and brought the pommel up. It hit her temple as she surged forward and Renfri dropped like a pupped that had it's strings cut. Her dagger fell to the ground and Geralt caught her against his chest, sword still in his hand. He quickly checked her pulse and breathing and let out a relieved sigh. She was alive.

Geralt hoisted her up over his shoulder and turned for the way out of town. The townspeople were already coming out of hiding and he knew Stregobor would arrive any second. Geralt hoped Renfri was knocked out properly, he could only deal with one murderous lunatic at once. He started walking away from the heavy footsteps of the mage, sword held visible but low by his side.  
It was a gamble. Would the townspeople be scared enough by a bloody witcher with a dripping sword to hesitate following the command of their mage? He'd find out any moment.

"Witcher! Take her to my tower! We have to do an autopsy", Stregobor called after him and Geralt stopped, slowly turning towards the mage.  
"I did not slay your monster for you, mage. You will not touch her", he shouted back, tightening the grip on his sword. Stregobor, full of himself as ever, walked towards him. Geralt raised his blade and tightened his grip on Renfri's unconscious body. The stupid asshole walked all the way up until Geralt's blade rested, once more at his throat. He had to fight the urge to slit it on the spot and enact the revenge he had come to prevent Renfri from seeking. As little as he liked it, Stregobor was a too important player to remove him from the board of would be history.  
"Have you gone mad? Her mutation, it influences people, that's how she got these men to follow her", the mage claimed and Geralt growled as more and more people closed in on them. "We need to take it." Stregobor stared at Geralt and he hated the man with a passion cultivated for almost half a century. "She got to you too, didn't she?"  
"You will not touch her", Geralt repeated and took a step backwards. "You killed enough innocent girls, Stregobor." He saw the shift in the mage and Geralt remembered what was coming even before the mage narrowed his eyes and stepped back into the rows of the townsfolk.

"Witcher! You butchered bodies in the streets of Blaviken." Geralt didn't know if it was just the words or if the mage helped the outrage along with some magic of his own. "You took the law into your own hands. You made a choice." Geralt growled and lowered his sword, taking another step back. He had to get Renfri out of here or everything had been for nothing. He had endured being the Butcher of Blaviken, he'd endure it again.  
"And you'll never know if it was the right one", Stregobor claimed, just as the first stone flew and hit Geralt in the back. A strange calm settled over Geralt and a dangerous, dark smile crept onto his face.  
"This is were you err, mage", he said, ignoring the yelled insults and death wishes. He saw Marilka push to the front of the crowd and turned his gaze away, adjusting the grip on his sword to shield his face from stones. He could only hope none hit Renfri too hard.

"I will leave Blaviken and I will take her with me", Geralt told Stregobor and the crowd, voice unwavering. "None of my kind will ever set foot into your town again." He would make sure of that. Witchers were few but he knew most of the remaining and what to tell them about this forsaken piece of shit town. Geralt flipped his sword to align with his arm and marched straight for the crowd. They moved, they always did, and Stregobor did not call after him again to leave Renfri behind. Whether he thought her dead or knew she was alive, Geralt couldn't tell. He didn't care. He carried her out of the market, out of town, back into the woods.

Back in the clearing Geralt lay Renfri down on his bedroll. She was still out cold but she breathed and he could hear her steadily beating heart, now that they were away from the noise of the city. He bound her hands because he strongly suspected she might try to continue where he had stopped her, once she woke up. Geralt tended to the cut on her shoulder, covering it with a salve and a clean pad of linen.

According to the plan Cirilla and Yennefer had worked out, it was time for him to leave soon. There was just one thing left to do and Geralt knelt down beside Renfri's motionless body, readying himself for it. He looked down at her for the last time, unable to resist the urge to gently run his fingertips along her cheek.  
"Please forgive me, Renfri. I... or if this works out present me will be here for you to sort this out", Geralt murmured. Then he sat back on his haunches and evened his breathing to go into meditation. It was time to return but not without leaving his past self some clues.

~1274~

Geralt awoke slowly this time, blinking and with a mind splitting headache. He groaned and scrunched his eyes shut, nausea gripping his stomach. He heard voices around him, muffled and strangely distorted. Someone helped him sit up but jumped aside when Geralt twisted towards them and puked. His brain was whirling and he felt memories he knew he hadn't had before form at a rapid pace. He groaned and sank against a warm and solid chest.  
The smell of rich honey, lavender, amber, and dandelions wrapped around his senses like a blanket.  
"Julian", Geralt whispered and soft fingers grazed his temple, warm lips pressed to his forehead.  
"I'm here, my love", answered the wonderful voice of his bard.

"We all are. You did it, you bastard", a second voice chimed it, light and full and with a smirk audible in it.  
Geralt forced his eyes open and with some difficulty, they focused on the face that belonged to the voice. Warm hazel eyes, slight creases at their corners, the cutest snub nose, lovely cheeks, all framed by auburn hair shot with the first hints of silver.  
"You saved her this time", Jaskier whispered to him and Geralt smiled and closed his eyes again, as decades of memories settled and told him all he needed to know.

**Author's Note:**

> Originally written as the start of a RP but I felt like sharing. Might or might not get expanded as we proceed.


End file.
